SC pulls up govt over waste management

Demands definite plan of action

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the authorities in Delhi, saying they do not appear to have a “strong desire” to deal with the issue of solid waste management which is a huge problem for the entire country.

The top court asked Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain to urgently convene a meeting of the committee on the issue of solid waste management and said a definite plan of action should be prepared for the Capital.

A Bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said the plan of action and strategy for solid waste management in Delhi could be replicated in other parts of the country also.

“There is a strong support for cleaning up of the landfills of Delhi and removing garbage that is lying at Bhalswa, Gazipur and Okhla. However, there does not seem to be a strong desire in the authorities to take steps in this regard,” the Bench observed.

‘Follow up on matter’

It requested the Delhi health minister to call for a meeting within four weeks to proceed in the matter.

“We expect that a definite plan of action be prepared and also a strategy for solid waste management in Delhi so that it can be replicated in other parts of the country,” the Bench said.

It also asked the Ministry of Environment and Forest to follow up the matter of solid waste management with other States and posted the case for February 6.